Our Design Process

We hear it an awful lot when we get a call from a potential client: “What’s your lighting design and install process? What can I expect from you? What do you do?” Of course everyone works a little differently, but we thought we would peel back the layers a little bit on what potential clients can expect from us. The process of designing and installing quality landscape lighting is multi-step. Usually when it looks easy, it’s not!

Our design process starts at your home. In an on-site visit, we’ll walk the property, listen to your priorities and desires for aesthetics and safety, and then offer a litany of options – including some that you may never have thought of! Because we know our products and what we can do with them, we can offer ideas and suggestions that may surprise you! Some of our products are so petite that we can install them in places that your ordinary landscape light could never go.

While we’re discussing options and evaluating the architecture and landscaping, we’ll be sketching up a design as well as noting fixtures, wattage intensity, style of products to be quoted and any other details that will help us install. We’ll note where the main power is coming from and if specialty work needs to be completed before we start. We’ll address perspective issues so we can assure you that you’ll never have light glare in your eyes!

If we visit during evening hours, we’ll be able to actually show you what the lighting could look like via our power pack and sample fixtures. This is an opportunity to truly clarify your expectations. When you say you like “soft and subtle” lighting, we’ll be able to demonstrate exactly what that looks like. Many times this has helped a new client confirm that they would prefer a brighter look.

Some designers make potential clients wait days or weeks for a proposal. Not at Northwest! We will create a proposal for your landscape lights right on site – no need to wait! We can make tweaks and adjustments right there to the design/proposal in order to fit into your budget.

Finally, we’ll review everything that we discussed and quoted in the proposal for install. If a computer design schematic is requested pre-install, we can create and email this to you within a day or so. This gives you a “map” of your property, what type of fixtures will be used and where they’ll go. This is extremely helpful if you want to install in phases, or have so many dozens of fixtures quoted that you can’t remember where they all go.

We hope this gives you a little insight into how we work and what you can expect if you ask us for a consult. Give us a call; we’d love to show you what we can do!

"Our home is far more secure and stunningly attractive at night. We receive compliments frequently and love to share about our experience with Northwest Outdoor Lighting."Karen T.- Seattle, WA

"I am so impressed with your customer service!” Mike L. - Kent, WA

"They have a very good artistic sense about what materials to use, which plants to feature, and where these lights should be placed. They are very hard working, efficient, and reliable. They are also a pleasure to work with."Garry P. - Snohomish, WA

"I have received so many compliments from neighbors who have noticed the wonderful appearance of my home!"Barbara C. - Laurelhurst, Seattle, WA

"Their attention to detail made the whole designing process easy for us. Our yard is so beautiful now, we love coming home late at night and seeing how inviting and safe our yard looks."Keith & Julie - Magnolia, Seattle, WA

"All my friends say I have the coolest place in the Northwest!"Cherise – Woodinville, WA

"All the wires are nicely hidden and a couple of the lights are in locations that we are actually a bit baffled how they managed to do the install without leaving a trace."Jennifer C. - Renton, WA